WYOMISSING, Pa. — Sadan Kulturel-Konak, professor of management information systems and the director of the Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) Center at Penn State Berks, has been selected as VentureWell Ecosystem Futures Fellows for the inaugural 2025 cohort. This national fellowship recognizes faculty and higher education leaders dedicated to strengthening STEM innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystems through the lens of environmental and social sustainability and inclusive innovation.
Through research, experiential learning and cross-sector partnerships, these fellows will build the ecosystem action plans needed to support sustainable STEM entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Principal investigator Kulturel-Konak and co-principal investigator Elizabeth Deimeke from Clark Atlanta University will join a distinguished cohort of 26 fellows from 18 institutions to develop bold strategies that translate STEM research into real-world impact (For this fellowship program, 159 proposals were submitted, yielding an 8% acceptance rate.) Their work will focus on the Sustainable Impact for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs and Innovators through Inclusive STEM I&E Ecosystem Collaborations, driving institutional transformation and fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems.
"We are committed to supporting I&E in STEM. This fellowship shows our dedication to creating inclusive and sustainable environments for underrepresented entrepreneurs and innovators. We will learn from one another, and together, we will make a real-world impact. We are truly honored to be part of this distinguished group of researchers and educators,” said Kulturel-Konak.
The Ecosystem Futures Fellowship, funded by the Lemelson Foundation, provides fellows with immersive programming, funding, and a vibrant community of practice to build long-term change in STEM ecosystems.
For more information about the fellowship and the selected cohort, visit this link.